Japanese Name Generator: Create Exotic Japanese Names

japanese name generator
by CJ McDaniel // February 27  

Japanese culture has been rising in popularity over the years, as evidenced by the rise of video games. When it comes to naming Japanese characters, you might be scratching your head in confusion. But no worries! With the Japanese Name Generator, you’ll get access to hundreds of name suggestions. 

This article will teach you everything you need to know about the Japanese naming system and rules that will be helpful when choosing a name. If you’re looking to add a bit of flair to your characters, then you’re going to want to try our Japanese name generator. 

With this handy tool, you can create random beautiful, and exotic names for your manga or novel characters.

Speaking To And Of Others In Japanese Culture

Knowing when and how to speak about others in Japanese is essential. The Japanese way of speaking to and of others (termed “teineigo” or “Keigo”) can be tricky to master. Keigo is the honorifics in the Japanese language.

The Japanese language has many words that describe how one speaks to or of others. These terms are usually added at the end of a sentence and convey respect, emotion, or familiarity. 

You can add different suffixes to the end of a sentence, but they are not interchangeable and must follow a specific pattern.

Here are some rough guidelines to follow:

  • In general, the more senior your position is relative to another person, the more polite you should be in your speech to that person. The suffix-san is typically added, for example, okāsan, which means mother.
  • You would probably use a different level of politeness with your teacher than you would with a friend. Teachers are often called “sensei” and company presidents as “shachō. “
  • The pronoun “you” is rarely used and is considered disrespectful. Instead, people would call each other by their given names than by “you.”
  • Calling someone by their surname without any title or honorific is considered rude.

Japanese Naming Customs

Japanese naming customs are unlike any other in the world. While most countries follow a European tradition of giving three names; first, middle and surname; Japan has been unique.

  • Japanese names are usually only two. 
  • Japanese people do not have middle names. 
  • Japanese names are usually written with the surname first, followed by the given name without any spacing. When spoken, you should include the honorifics in the speech.

Japanese naming customs are based on various factors, including region, family history, and social status. There are over 100 different ways to create a name in Japan.

While the Western custom of naming a child after a grandparent or other relative is generally not done in Japan, there are certain situations in which they may name a Japanese person after someone.

A typical example is when the parents of a child who died young name their next child after their deceased sibling or other loved one. 

Young girls may also be given a name that commemorates an older relative who has passed away. 

According to Japanese law, married partners must have the same surname. When a woman marries, she almost always takes her husband’s surname. Some Japanese women may prefer to use their maiden name in informal contexts.

In Japan, the given name is used for almost all social interaction. It is written in kanji, which can be challenging to pronounce. 

Many Japanese people have names of two kanji characters, so the pronunciation is more complicated than a name with the same meaning in English.

Characters In Japanese Names

Japanese names are pretty different than most western names. 

Many foreigners are usually confused by the whole page of kanji characters. They wonder why there are so many characters and what they all mean. The family name is written in kanji, while the given name is in katakana.

There’s no prescribed way to write them; the order is usually family name first, then given name. 

The most common family name is Sato in Japan, which means “Wisteria field” or “village.” The second most common is Suzuki which means “bell tree” or “bell wood.”

Many Japanese names are written in Kanji characters, Chinese characters originating from China. However, some names are written in hiragana and katakana or a mixture of kanji and kana. 

What you need to remember is that;

  • Japanese names are written in kanji, and each kanji is a symbol. The writings of Japanese names are usually in kanji, hiragana, and katakana.
  • Characters related to locations and geographical elements are familiar in Japanese family names.
  • It is considered good manners for the oldest member of the family to choose a child’s first name. 
  • The selection of babies’ names occurs after they are born.
  • In Japan, most people have one given name with between one and three kanjis.
  • There is no limit on how many times you can use a kanji character in a name. It can result in various meanings!

 Japanese names are often two syllables long, although the eldest sons’ names have four syllables.

Japanese names

Female Names

  • Aiko

Aiko is a feminine Japanese name that means a little loved one or a beloved child.

  • Akane

Akane is an ordinary girl’s name. In Japan, Akane means ‘deep red.’  Other countries may use this name, although the meaning may change. 

  • Ikumi

The name Ikumi means “fragrance or perfume” to signify beauty.

  • Kira

The origin of this word varies across different cultures. In Japanese, it means slippery or shiny. In Slavonic, it means a strong woman, and in Irish, it’s derived from Ciara, which means dark-haired. In Russian, it means ruler of the people or mistress ruler.

Other forms of the word include; Kiera, Keira, Keera, Kyrie, or Kirra.

  • Hatsune

Hatsune comes from the Japanese word “Hatsu,” meaning “beginning or first.” Depending on the kanji, there are several other ways to read this name. Other such meanings are; radiate or emit.

  • Fujiko

The meaning of the name is “wisteria girl” or “girl of the violet hour.” The popularization of the name Fujiko was by the fictional character Fujiko Mine from the manga series Lupin III. 

Her last name is misspelled as “Mine” in the English translation of the manga, but it is spelled “Mīne” in katakana characters and means “violet” in Japanese. 

The word “mine” was used instead in many other languages, inspiring fans to use her full name when writing their characters.

Male Names

  • Atsuki

Atsuki is a popular Japanese name and translates to “hot or warm.” The name also has several other meanings, including; sincere, radiance, rare, bright, shine, and bright.

  • Bunji

Bunji has several meanings: next, preside over, be affectionate, child, or two.

  • Chikao

The Japanese name Chikao combines several meanings, but all relate to wise and cleverness.

  • Gakuto

Gakuto means an educated person from “gaku,” learning, study, and science. Gaku also means mountain or peak.

  • Kohaku

Kohaku is a Japanese given name for boys. The meaning of the name is “yellow” and “amber.”

  • Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi is a Japanese boy name. In Japanese, the meaning of the name Kiyoshi is bright, shining, and transparent.

Unisex Names

  • Akira

Akira is a unisex Japanese name that means “bright, clear, or intelligent

  • Kobe

The name Kobe has multiple origins. In Swahili, it means tortoise; in Dutch and Hebrew, it is a pet name for Jacob, which means God protects. Other forms of the name are; Coby, Koby, Kobi, Colby, and Cobe.

  • Suzuki

Suzuki is a typical Japanese surname, the second most common in Japan after Sato. Suzuki means “small stream” or “small river.” The kanji character 鈴木 means “bell,” whose translation means  “bell stream or bell wood.”

  • Makoto

One of the most famous Japanese names, Makoto, means truth or sincere. It represents honesty and integrity, two characteristics everyone wants to see in a friend or colleague.

The kanji used to write the name Makoto translates to “true koto,” which means “real stringed instrument” and simplifies the original name.

  • Kyou 

Kyou means “to meet,” or the one who is ready to meet the world with an open heart and mind. 

He embraces all of the joys and sorrows that may come his way because he knows that he can’t solve anything in life without a good sense of humor, love, and acceptance.

The name Kyou can be written using different kanji characters, which translates to; capital city, apricot, or village.

  • Hitomu

The Japanese name Hitomu can be written using different kanji characters to mean wisdom, intelligence, or beauty.

Conclusion

The Japanese name generator is a fun way to create an authentic-sounding Japanese name that you can use for your latest novel or video game character. It’s also a great way to learn about the culture and language of Japan. 

With so many names to choose from, you will easily find a name that fits your preferences. Whether you are looking for a unique or popular name, Japanese name generator has it all. 

If you have trouble coming up with an original idea for your next project, try using this Japanese name generator today. We hope this tool was helpful!

Enjoyed using this Japanese name generator? If you’re looking for more random name generators for your fiction, check out our collection of Fiction Name Generators here.

Also explore more of our tools and software starting from our free online book mockup maker and sci fi title generator.

About the Author

CJ grew up admiring books. His family owned a small bookstore throughout his early childhood, and he would spend weekends flipping through book after book, always sure to read the ones that looked the most interesting. Not much has changed since then, except now some of those interesting books he picks off the shelf were designed by his company!